Method of manufacturing cloth-covered ornaments.



PATENTED JAN. 10, 1905.

A. M. HOLSTEIN. METHOD OF MANUFACTURING CLOTH GOVERED ORNAlVIElITlS.x

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 22. 1904.

I e41 TORNEY UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH M. HOLSTEIN, OF SYRACUSE, NEIV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,651, dated January 10, 1905.

Application filed August 22, 1904:- Serial No. 1,796-

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPH M. HOLSTEIN, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York,have invented new and use ful Improvements in Methods of Manufacturing Cloth-Covered Ornaments, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in the method of manufacturing cloth-covered ornaments for burial-caskets. These ornaments are made of a composition material of a putty nature which is molded to the desired form while in a plastic or semiplastic condition and contains a suitable bond and an adhesive substance which are thoroughly mixed with the putty base, so that by slightly steaming the ornament after being molded it becomes easily pliable, but when cold it becomes hard, although tenacious and somewhat pliable. Heretofore I have made these ornaments under my Patent No. 683,425. dated October 1, 1901,by applying the cloth in a dry state to the ornamented surface while the composition material was in a somewhat green statethat is, the cloth was applied by the same dies by which the ornament was formed and during the operation of forming the ornament. This has proved to be a very satisfactory method of applying the cloth; but I have found that different manufacturers cover their caskets with different makes of cloth and that these cloths vary slightly in shade or tint, and it therefore becomes necessary for each manufacturer for whom my ornaments are made to supply me with their particular shade of cloth, so that there may be no difference between the color of the cloth in the ornaments and that on the body of the casket. The orders for these ornaments are necessarily filled in great haste, and it therefore becomes necessary to provide some means of applying the cloth to the ornaments as soon as the order is received. In order that this may be done expeditiously, a certain quantity of adhesive substance, as cement or glue, is thoroughly mixed in the composition, after which the ornaments are pressed to the desired form without applying the cloth, and, of course, these ornaments soon become cold and dry, and I have found that by slightly steaming the ornamented surface the cloth may be readily applied, either by hand or in the same press or dies by which the ornament was made, the latter method being preferred, as itimpresses the cloth more evenly against all parts of the adhesive surface.

My improvement, therefore, consists in steaming the ornamented surface, which is done very quickly by simply moving the ornament across a jet of steam, after which the cloth is applied by the same dies which form the ornament and by hand, and the adhesive element being moist readily grips the cloth and soon cools, thus firmly securing the cloth to the ornament. The work of steaming is done almost instantaneously, and therefore permits a large number of these ornaments to be covered within a very short period of time.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents an ornament made of composite material in which an adhesive element is thoroughly mixed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a steaming-vat, showing the ornament as superimposed in the steam. Fig. 3 shows the dies for pressing the cloth upon the ornamented surface.

Similar referencecharacters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

A represents an ornament as first formed from the composition material without the cloth covering, in which condition these ornaments are carried in stock to be covered to order, the purchaser usually supplying the cloth covering which is then immediately applied to the ornamented surface of the ornament A. This is done by rapidly passing the ornamented surface of the composite body over a jet of steam or by dipping the ornamented surface into a steam-chamber, as B,

to which steam is supplied through a pipe Z), Fig. 2. After this operation of steaming the ornamented surface the cloth covering, as O,

is placed in a dry state by hand upon the steamed ornamented surface and the composite body, with the cloth covering thereon, is placed between suitable dies D and E, usually the same dies by which the ornament is first formed in the composite body, the dies being brought together to press the cloth covering firmly against all parts of the ornamented surface, the edges of the cloth being previously brought under the back side of the composite body and also adhesively secured to said body by the same dies. It is thus seen that the method of manufacturing these ornaments consists, first, in mixing a suitable fibrous bond and an adhesive material, as glue or cement, with a base of a putty nature to form a cohesive plastic mass; then subjecting a quantity of this plasticbodyto pressure between suitable dies by which the ornamented surface is formed in one face and a depression, as a, is formed in its opposite face to follow the general contour of the ornamented surface, and thereby reduce the weight and cost of the ornament. The ornamented coinposite body thus formed is then allowed to dry, when it becomes hard and tenacious, but still possessing a certain degree of pliability. These ornaments may be carried in stock in this condition for any length of time, and when an order is received for a quantity of these ornaments each one is slightly steamed in the manner described and the cloth covering is then immediately applied in a dry state to the ornamented surface and then subjected to pressure between the dies, the adhesive substance which has been moistened by the steam firmly gripping the cloth and permanent] y securing it to the ornamented surface of the composite body.

This method of making cloth-covered ornaments is extremely simple, economical, and avoids any possibility of injuring or discoloring of the cloth facing and also enables me to supply the completed ornaments on very short notice.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is p The herein-described method of manufacturing cloth-covered ornaments consisting in mixing with a composite body a quantity of adhesive and then pressing the desired ornamentation in the surface of said body and allowing the composite body to dry; then slightly steaming the ornamented surface to soften the adhesive and immediately afterward applying the cloth facing, whereby the adhesive is caused to permanently secure the cloth to the composite body.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May, 1904:.

A. M. HOLSTEIN. Vitnesses:

H. E. CHASE, MILDRED M. Now. 

